18 Replies

I really feel very flat; low mood, I don't sleep well, probably no more than 4 or 5 hours at night, but can fall asleep mid morning sitting on the settee!. The brain fog has improved, but my energy level has not and I am very lethargic (or maybe just lazy). I anticipated so much more from T3, but realise it doesn't suit everyone. I have ordered Thyroid S and am going to try that so see if that helps.

My weight has improved following the Slimming World eating plan and I have lost 1 stone 10 pounds since last November, slow but steady progress. I couldn't go on increasing as I was getting close to 12 stone and am only 5 foot tall. That was enough to depress me!

I think my bloods look pretty good on the whole, but am not sure about the TPO Antibodies level. I thought someone might pick up and comment on that.

Yes, you have Hashi's. Therefore, you need your TSH suppressed. Resist all attempts to lower it! Your doctor is not there to dictate to you, just to advise you. You do not have to accept his advice!

But your Frees are good. As are your nutrients. So, it's difficult to understand why you Don't feel good. Are you supplementing B12 etc? Or is this just naturally you? lol

Do you have any other medical conditions? Are you on any medication? Do you eat soy? Remember, blood tests only test what is in the blood. Not what you are absorbing into your cells. Maybe there is something cause you not to absorb the hormone...

Oh, and did you have your test taken early in the morning, fasting, and 24 hours away from your last dose of hormone?

Thank you for replying Greygoose. I have taken your advice before and supplement Vit B12, Vit B complex, Vit D, Vit K2, Selenium,, Magnesium, Vit C, Boron. Also CoEnzymeQ10, gentle iron, Glucosamine Sulphate and until today Flaxseed (which I have just read is not good for your Thyroid!).

Other than Levothyroxine, I am prescribed Bendroflumethiazide and Amlodipine for blood pressure, Naproxen for Arthritic joint pain in my hands and feet, and Solifenacin for urge incontinence (I had a trans-vaginal tape fitted 5 years ago to combat stress incontinence which seems to have given up the ghost). GP is re-referring me to Urogynaecology for investigation. As for not absorbing the hormone, I asked to have RT3 tested which did not happen; GP did not know what this was, so don't know if that affected whether or not this was down to be tested!

I feel I am doing all I can to help my Thyroid and am just disappointed my efforts haven't improved my mood.

So back to the drawing board now as regards Hashi's. Does the 329.4 Antibodies count indicate it is not yet raging?

No, it doesn't really mean anything at all, as far as we know. Just that you have Hashi's. I'm not sure that Hashi's does rage, does it?

That's quite a list of drugs you're taking! It could be that some of them are making you feel bad. Amlodipine, for example, can cause fatigue.

I honestly Don't see the logic of giving you a duiretic, and then giving you a pill that will reduce the volume of urine. Seems to me that they cancel each other out.

In any case, your high blood pressure, joint pain and incontenance could very well be due to your hypothyroidism, in which case, the pills won't help that much. I think you really ought to do your own research on them and then have a chat with your doctor.

I'm not surprised your doctor didn't know what rT3 was - most of them barely know what ordinarly T3 is! In any case, you can't get it tested on the NHS, it would have to be private. Have you tried going T3 only - or even just reducing your Levo a bit - to see if that helps?

Don't worry about the flaxseed - it isn't bad for the thyroid in the way you mean. It doesn't affect the gland itself, doesn't damage it, doesn't affect your thyroid hormone replacement. It would probably only affect someone who lived on the stuff and who wasn't on thyroid hormone replacement.

However, that doesn't mean it can't disagree with you for some other reason. Do you feel any better since you stopped taking it? If not, start taking it again.

Started taking Uni Pharma T3 mid-October last year. slowly increased by quarters while reducing Levo. Got to 4x25 T3 and got scared to go any further even though felt no improvement. Reduced back down to 1x25 T3 and increased Levo back to 125 mcg. Basal temperature has never increased beyond 36.2, and pulse normally 60 to 66 bpm.

I have ordered Thyroid S and intend trying that instead of T3 to see if that makes any difference.

Only read about Flaxseed today, so haven't stopped taking it yet, so will just continue.

So, apart from the temperature, how did you feel on 100 mcg T3? If you are intolerant of T4 - as I am - you won't be well on Thyroid S, either. So, if that happens, you know you need to try T3 only again.

You Don't happen to have a copy of a blood test from before you introduced T3, do you? One with FT4 and FT3 on it?

It dépends what your labs are like. It's safe if your fT3 isn't way over range. You can't make judgements like that - although a lot of people do! We're all individuals with different needs. There are no absolutes.

Dr John Lowe used to take 150 mcg T3 - but he didn't take any Levo with it. At one point, when I was dealing with my absorpton issues, I was taking 225 mcg. At the moment, I'm taking 100, but think I'm going to reduce a bit as the weather gets hotter. And, I'm still alive! lol

Taking 50 mcg Levo with 100 mcg T3 will increase your T3 to a certain extend, but difficult to know by how much.

So, on 30.09.15, what exactly were you taking? Because you weren't converting very well, there. And unconverted T4 sloshing around in the blood can cause problems. How did you feel at that point?

Thank you for taking the time to reply again, I really appreciate it. I have an appointment tomorrow morning with the GP at his request following the blood tests.

Will have to decide whether to tell him about my taking the T3, although it has increased Free T3 from 4.9 to 6.4, it hasn't made much difference to how I am feeling! No doubt he would be pleased about that as he refused to let me try it.

GP had asked me to come in so that he could explain that all my blood results had come back improved!

I told him the T3 had improved because I was supplementing. He put his hands on his head and said I have become obsessed with this, however he did say I could continue if I felt better. I just left it at that and didn't tell him I am going to try Thyroid S, didn't want to upset him any more. Thank you for your encouragement and advice. I will post again when I have given Thyroid S a chance.

T3 is the active thyroid hormone which regulated the metabolism and the symptoms. With a free T3 near the top of the range you should not have any hypothyroid symptoms.

One possible cause of your continuing symptoms is thyroid hormone resistance, also known as impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormone. This is a genetic condition so if there are others in your family with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, depression or thyroid issues this would support this possibility.

This condition requires a high level of T3 in the body. Dr John Lowe found that T3 dosages ranged from 50 mcg to 500 mcg although most require dosages only between 100 and 150 mcg.

With high doses of T3 the free T3 blood test will be well over range and can be so high that the labs can't read it. If treating with T3 there is little benefit in blood tests and most people judge their dose by their symptoms, including temperature and heart rate.